Alastair Munro has stepped down as Chair of the William Boyle Foundation after 25 years of exceptional leadership. Richard Hawke, Greg Wilson, Randall Allardyce and Brian Switalla were re-elected as trustees. The main initiatives of the Foundation have been directed at support for its under 21 competitions and the scholarship. It is anticipated that the foundation will extend into piping education and other related areas.

IMHO Alastair Munro has been tremendously encouraging to the piping community in New Zealand and I’m certain that will continue in spite of his retirement from the Foundation. I’m also certain that Randall Allardyce and his fellow trustees (what a lineup) will continue to enhance their present activities and add new innovations.

The following is a profile of Randall Allardyce for those that don’t know him yet:

Randall grew up in Grosse Pointe, Michigan and was one of the first members of the St Andrews Society of Detroit Boys Pipe Band. The band was taught by Walter Rose, who was in turn taught by Blind Archie MacNeill (Seamus’s uncle, who also taught him). Randall also had lessons from Blind Archie and from MacNeill, Pearston and MacFadyen at the College of Piping summer school at Tobermory and Johnny Wilson (Toronto). He competed successfully in the US and Canadian A grade solo competitions from 17 years and in the open grade in Scotland for a couple of seasons when he moved to Edinburgh to attend medical school in 1966. Randall rubbed shoulders with many pipers in Scotland, in particular, he counted as good friends John Burgess, Angus MacDonald and John Slattery. He joined the Eagle Pipers at the West End Hotel and played for them on several occasions with regular performers Ian McLeod, George Lumsden and John MacLellan. Randall moved to Christchurch in 1974. Though he doesn’t compete, he continues to play for his own pleasure and has retained a keen interest in competitive solo piping and is passionate about Piobaireachd.